Miles, Tigers begin preparations for ULL

TigerRag.com

08/28/2006

Les Miles and the LSU Tigers begin maing preparations for the season opener this Saturday versus the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. Miles met with the media today at his weekly press luncheon. The following is what Miles had to say. Stay tuned to TigerRag.com throughout the week leading up to this weekend's season opener

Opening Statement

"This marks the first one, the
first one of many. I look forward to the fall season. I can't tell you how many
coaches I have talked to today just kind of looking forward to game week and
playing football.

"I am told the Super Chevy dealers
are now involved in sponsorship in the LSU Athletic Department. We certainly
would like to thank them and enjoy their participation.

"It is also a time where tomorrow
is a year anniversary of the (Hurricane) Katrina storm coming into
Louisiana. I
can tell you that we all recognize that there are hardships being lived in a
regular basis by many who have not quite gotten their personal life in order
just yet. Our team, probably two weeks ago in a goal session, elected
unanimously to keep the premise of our season to play for Louisiana, to play for
our team and to play for ourselves. That will stay at the top of our goals for
yet another season.

"We are very excited. We felt like
we had a good summer. Our camp went well. There are a couple of guys nicked up
with muscle strains, etc. but none that we would consider very serious. We
expect to have anybody that we have been counting on in the summer to be healthy
and ready to go for ULL. It is fun to look forward to playing somebody other
than the guys you have been practicing against. The guys they have been
practicing against are pretty good. They line up and play for LSU. Once you get
through a two-a-day schedule, you look forward to lining up against an
opponent."

"I really think that this opponent
is a good football team. They are well coached. They return a real strong group
of letterwinners. They return 40 letterwinners. They only lose three guys on
defense. They return one of the finest rushing teams in the country. Both
quarterbacks have played significant football. Jerry Babb and (Michael)
Desormeaux are back, very talented guys. They had a freshman tailback get 1,000
yards in his first season. They have a very talented offensive line. They
graduated some guys in their skill positions at receiver. They have a number of
guys in the wings ready to take up that slack. Offensively, they predict to be
as good a team as the conference has. They also are favored to be a conference
contender. On defense, they lose three letterwinners -- a guy in the secondary,
a linebacker and a guy upfront. Their have a veteran team and they play
extremely well. We have great respect for the ULL team that is coming in."

On contingent plans for another
hurricane …

"We had summer discussions about
possible contingencies if weather hit. We feel as prepared as we can be. We are
fortunate that (Hurricane) Ernesto made a right turn and doesn't appear it is
going to hit in this region. I only hope it doesn't hit. I know that's not
likely. Those things get to swirling out there. You only hope that it doesn't
find land."

On playing for the state again …

"It started with an annual goal
session. Our unity council, our core leaders, assembled in the team room. The
conversation quickly turned to what were existing goals. They had to be looked
at and moved on very quickly. That was the first thing that they talked about.
It was unanimously voted on by the team to keep. It didn't take much. It was
important to everybody in the room."

On the quarterback situation
heading into the season opener …

"We are going to play the
quarterback that gives us our greatest opportunity at victory. We are going to
approach it just that way. As the game unfolds, as the season unfolds, those
needs will arise. I would like to think that all three guys would have
opportunities in the season to contend and play significant football for us. I
am not presupposing that I could get those guys in the game against ULL in our
opener."

"He's had a really strong summer.
He has worked hard. He's in better shape than he has been. He's led the team.
He's done those things that you would expect from a quarterback. Both Matt Flynn
and Ryan Perrilloux have had really good summers. I can tell you that Matt is a
little arm weary. It hasn't hurt his reputation to field the team. We are going
in very much like we did a year ago with the difference being that our third
quarterback, Ryan Perrilloux, has the opportunity to play."

On the offensive line heading into
the ULL game …

"I think they have had a good camp.
They have to continue to prepare. If they don't get better on a daily basis, if
they don't look at each game as a significant test of itself, then they will not
get to the area of execution that we want. I think what they have done is that
they put themselves in position today to have a really good group. I think at
times at certain things that they do are better than last year's line. It has to
continue. It must improve, but we are very optimistic right there."

"Justin Vincent has had a great
camp. Jacob Hester has as well. Both of those guys we can count on carrying the
football pretty regularly. Charles Scott has practiced very hard and has put
himself in position where we know exactly what to expect from him. He is still
young but a very talented freshman. We expect him to see the field. Alley
Broussard is still coming. He could take some carries in this game. I wouldn't
be surprised if he took none. It depends on how the week goes. That's work in
progress for him. I think he understands it. Hopefully that will come very
quickly. It's based on what the team needs and what he might need to develop."

On deciding which freshmen running
backs will play …

"I can tell you that Charles Scott
has put himself in a position to play. We are looking at both Keiland Williams
and Richard Murphy. Richard has not really hit the ground running. We need to
get him on board and get him comfortable. It would be hard for me to envision
his playing time. Keiland has been a fast runner. He might be a guy that can
play this football, but again that is all in front of us. It is hard for me to
speculate on them. I can tell you Charles Scott will (play), and it is likely
that either both or the other would."

On any position on the depth chart
up for grabs …

"I think that the depth chart was
put together with great foresight and a collectively knowledge base by our
staff. I think there will be few surprises. If something happens with an injury
and someone is called on, it is the readiness of that guy that makes a
difference. There's always those surprises. We hope that that guy answers the
call and will be ready."

On the game plan against
UL-Lafayette …

"They are mostly like Florida. They are a zone
read team. They have an opportunity to run a little option. They throw the ball
efficiently and spread the field pretty regularly. They have some two-back sets.
It is a lot of assignment football, and that is an advantage for them. It is not
one that you prepare with in a short week very comfortably. We are fortunate
that we have played against Florida and some other teams so that our
background is good. I think our kids have accepted the game plan with the idea
that we still have Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to get it right."

"Jared Mitchell has an opportunity
to play professional baseball with the (Minnesota) Twins. He was offered a good sum of
money some time ago. If he attends a class, apparently by the Major League
Baseball rules and regulations, he cannot be maneuvered now until his junior
year. I don't know if he was in class this morning or not. If he didn't go to
class, he's in trouble with me. He's supposed to go to class. If doesn't go to
class, he will be running tomorrow morning. Unless he is secretly in baseball
uniform, I think he went to class. I think Jared Mitchell, Chris Mitchell and
Ricky Dixon are all very talented guys. Jared may be more ready to play early
than some of those other guys, not that he has more talent just that he is a
little bit more mature. He has kind of nicked a thumb most recently but we
expect that to get better. When that gets better, it will be easy for him to see
the field."

On whether last season felt like a
championship season after so many obstacles …

"I can tell you that playing for a
championship is what we all strive for. I think achievement is something that
can be measured with improvement. It can be measured with how they play and who
they are as people. I think winning the (SEC) West and coming back and playing
as well as they did against Miami in the Peach Bowl. The idea that they had
to endure two storms that really created a very unusual environment in the
perimeter of our athletic department, I don't think there is any question that
they have achieved a lot. They did everything that they could considering the
position that they were put in. They played for their state and really did the
things that we relied on them to do. I look at that year like they were a
championship team that they were championship people and they had championship
caliber character."

"I think Jacob Cutrera is going to
be a really fine linebacker. The idea that he went through spring gives him a
chance to understand very comfortably what we call it and where to line up. I
think Luke Sanders is a little bit better player on certainly more experienced.
I wouldn't be unhappy in any way to see Jacob go out there and play for the
Tigers on Saturday night."

On not overlooking the first two
games to Auburn
…

"We play a darn good football team
that is going to test us this Saturday. We are not looking beyond it. We are
going to play hard, and we are looking for a victory. If we do that, that is the
best way to prepare us for the next opponent, which is Arizona. The best way to
prepare for Auburn is to get two victories and improve
along the way."

On UL-Lafayette's running game …

"I think their offensive line
blocks. They have nice running backs and a nice scheme. The quarterback reads
and gives, disconnects and runs. It is a great test for us. Early season or
late, I think they are a very formidable opponent."